rayhale

In the Bible there are several people that are called prophets, but are not, remember that all the twelve are called prophets, seers, and revelators, so we can call Elder Ballard, prophet, and all the other Apostles, prophets. I also think that anyone that prophesies, would be called a prophet by the people that he relates the prophets warnings to, for example a missionary could be called a preacher, since he, or she, preaches the word of God to people.

I might be wrong, but in all the scriptures, no prophet said, “thus saith the Lord”, but does that mean that they are not speaking for the Lord? No.

I agree with Pres. Benson, I like the Church’s welfare program since it requires the person that needs money to work for it, work at a cannery, one of the Church’s welfare farms, or whatever you are capable of. This form of welfare encourages people to work, where the American welfare program encourages people to be lazy and do nothing to help them out of their situation. For example, my brother said that someone in his store was in the managers’ office to be offered a pay raise, but guess what? He thought it over, but said that he couldn’t accept since he would loose his welfare money!

From what I understand about the Law of Consecration or the United Order, as the early Saints practiced it, is this: A family earns $100,000 a year, but can afford to live on $40,000, the extra $60,000 would go to the Church to be disbuted to the Saints that are making less than what they need, for example, they make $30,000 a year, but need $50,000. There are several questions that I have, one is who decides what profession do you go into in the United Order? Does (or did the early Church) have a say as to what you do? For example, would they tell you to go to the medical field, or even strongly suggest? Would they create a ‘class’ system? A son of a doctor has to become a doctor, etc… (Remember that in olden times, it was a sign of honor and respect to go into the same bisness as your father, Jesus became a carpenter like his father). Since the Church owns ‘your’ property, what would happen to it if you left the Church? Would the Church have the right to reassign the property to someone else? Is this form of the Law of Consecration still expected? Or is it, like polygamy, where it was taken away until we can practice it more perfectly? Can individual church members practice this law, what I mean is, can we, as members, create a system of the Law of Consecration, or do we need to wait for the Church leaders to start it? The Law of Tithing is a lower law of the Law of Consecration, but I have known a few people that put the Church in their will, so that when they died, all their money would go to the Church.

In Sunday School we study the scriptures in a 4 year cycle. During the year that a given scripture is being studied, you can read the chapters for the following Sunday. This way you can, not only read the scriptures, but to study them.

I would also point out that back then, people worshiped idols, and some people sacrificed people, and worse under their so-called god. One God over everything was a new concept, and God’s people needed to stay away from that, as seen though out the Old Testament the Hebrews (Jews) were influenced by other societies by worshiping idols. Today, all major religions believe in one God, none (that I know of) worship idols, and all are good at heart. This is the reason that we can be tolerant to other religions, as, why, for the most part, the Hebrews weren’t allowed to deal with other people.

I would like to state that I think a site that everyone can put their own comments down for every verse is great, but I feel I need to add, it shouldn’t be a wiki, in that if you write you ideas on lets say John 3:16, then if someone else doesn’t like what you wrote, then they can erase what you wrote, then put down what they feel. If the site were in the style of a forum like this, then it would be great. Personally like reading, and listening, to other people’s point of view, even if I don’t agree with them.

I’m shocked that Elder Ballard, or for that matter, anyone else since, has pointed out what to look out for on the net. Here is one of many sites you can go to for Internet safety: http://www.netsmartz.org/pdf/pledgek2_eng.pdf you can make a Google search for more internet safety concerns, but here is mine: Make sure BEFORE you open up a site that you have the right address, remember that there are different endings, .com; .net; .edu; .gov; .tv; .fm; just to name a few. Pornographic sites are infamous for makes site names that look like other sites, for example having .net instead of .com. NEVER put down personal information. Realize that people are not always what they appear to be. If you meet someone that you have developed a relationship on the net, always meet in a public setting, like a sports game, better yet have someone you know in the ‘real world’ be there with you.

Are you saved by Grace or works? Well the question is complicated, so let me break it down for you. You can read the ‘Preach My Gospel’ book, if you don’t have one, you can download it here: Preach My Gospel go to Lesson 2 on book page: 47, PDF page: 61. The Plan of Salvation, or what sometimes is called The Plan of Happiness. There isn’t just a Heaven and a Hell like most people do, we believe that there is a place for how much you believe in God. Jesus didn’t take away the Ten Commandments, when asked, he paraphrased the Ten Commandments to two: ‘love God, and to love thy neighbor’. What is simpler, yet more complete than this? Would you worship idols, or if you love your neighbor, would you hurt them, or steal from them? Going to the bottom up here is the kingdoms: Outer Darkness: This place is only for the place for people that knowingly turn away from God. Joseph Smith said, ‘it’s like looking up at the Sun and knowing it’s up there, then saying, with all your might, that it is not there.’ (I paraphrased it somewhat). Terrestrial Kingdom: This is the place for people who sinned the worst sins except for the unpardonable sin. Even this kingdom is more glorious then we can ever conceive. Telestial Kingdom: This is for the generally good people that love God, yet did not endure to the end. Celestial Kingdom: This is the highest kingdom. This is where God lives. This is also the only kingdom of Heaven that families can be together forever.

To lostnfound: I wish to comment on your musings of the church. As to the first: the church has always had a desire to know the truth, Joseph Smith (the first prophet of the church) had several friends of different religions. He also said that we should fight, not only for our church, but for the rights of other religions. As to the second: this is easy to counter, all you have to do is to tell people what you believe, and to spread it as far as you can. Just go to the July 2008 Ensign: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ccb1d48fa58db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=6fc43645a2cba110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ it’s full of what Elder Ballard calls ‘new media’. Hey, what I’m doing now is ‘new media’. lol! To the third: every week we have Sunday School, and for two years, we learn from the Bible. The scriptures are the center to who we are. To the fourth: we have high family values since we believe that we can be together, as families, forever.

I would like to add that what is said here is not the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Go to: Characteristics of Psychopath (Sociopath, Anti-social Personality Disorder)

Do I believe in Ghosts, levitation, or telepathy? As other posts have said, I don’t believe them as the world does. Ghosts- if you are talking about what the media thinks of them, as of haunted houses or ‘Casper’ then no. If you believe something enough then it becomes true for you. For example ‘stigmata’. This is where someone gets scars on their hands and feet that looks like nail prints. If you’re talking about Spirits, then yes, I do believe that we all have a spirit. Levitation- again, if your talking about what the world thinks of what this is, then no, I don’t think it’s impossible to levitate, ‘with God, all things are possible’, but there needs to be a reason for the miracle, for example, in the Old Testament, Moses, through the power of God, parted the Red Sea, so the Hebrews could escape the Egyptians. Though God Moses could part the Red Sea, there was a good reason, the escape from the Egyptians. Could Moses have parted the Red Sea just because he wanted to? No. Telepathy- in this definition - telepathy - Wiktionary, of course not. A similar word psychic, psychic - Wiktionary, again no I don’t believe in it. I do believe that we all ‘say’ a lot about ourselves without saying anything. These so-called psychics are nothing more than good observers. As I’ve said, there needs to be a reason for someone to ‘know’ someone’s mind, in the Bible there’s several different prophets (and a few others) that through the Spirit of God was able to know what someone was thinking. In each case, the person was ether a prophet of God, or was a person that had a God given right to know, like their spouse.

I’ll ask a similar question, how is a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve selected?

The main thing about food storage is to go slow. Buy a little more than you need so you have extra. Food storage is expensive and takes a lot of space. Be smart and get food that you can make and can be stored for a while, go to the church’s site Provident Living Home it can help you out.

I was a missionary, and if you think that they had any power to make the church to change or even reevaluate their policies, then you are seriously overestimating their reach in the church. Missionaries are between 19-26 and are repersentives of the Lord and of the church, but, as far as the church is concerned, they are not leaders, they only teach people of the church, but that is really their only ‘power’ within the church hierarchy.

Has any Prophet said, 'thus saith the Lord'? If so, who? And when?

The star of Bethlehem was a sign to the wise men. We don’t know much about it. As soon as the wise men saw the star, they may have already known where to go, in the Old Testament it prophecies where the Savior would be born.

This is one of the most confusing aspects of the gospel. Are you saved as a family? Or as individuals? The answer is both. Are you saved as tribes? Or as individuals? Again, the answer is both. The Bible says repeatedly, that we are saved by what our ancestors have done, yet also says that we are saved by what we do for ourselves. Is this confusing, no if you understand that you wouldn’t be here and believe what we believe without the prophets of old, but we have our free agency to believe it, or reject it. There is that old saying, “we can’t be saved without our ancestors, and our ancestors can’t be saved without us.” I paraphrased it but as I said without a full understanding of the gospel, being saved both as a family and as individuals is confusing.

The Church strongly encourages that the family of the missionaries to pay the full $375 per month, but if they can’t, then talk to the Bishop about your financial situation, and he will help you out. This is the main reason the Church changed the monthly amounts from whatever amount you needed to live on in your area, to a set price per month. For example for some if you went to Japan, you had to spend upwards of $1,600 a month, or if you went to a third world area you might only have needed to spend $50 a month. A set price per month is fairer for everyone.

People who don’t go on missions because of medical reasons are also being treated like they aren’t faithful. I think that’s sad. I have an older brother that couldn’t go on a mission because of medical reasons, but it’s obvious that he couldn’t go. I waited for a year to go on my mission because my parents were worried about not being able to afford the $375 per month for me and for 6 months of my mission $ 750 for both me and my younger brother. My bishop told my parents not to worry, someone in the ward would help us out on our missions. I agree that some people can be insensitive, but like a few posts have said, these people are trying to help you, going on a mission is a modern commandment for young men, it’s optional for young women, they have the option of either getting married or going on a mission, in theory that’s why they don’t go on a mission until 21, so they can go on dates with Returned Missionaries. It’s either that or the other explanation that makes less sense; that there will be an age gap between the 19-year-old male missionaries and the 21-year-old female missionaries.

Quote “I would agree that the more people understand about the LDS Church-misinformation will hopefully fade. This can also be true as seekers of truth learn about other faith traditions as well. We each have a bias toward our own faith traditions. Some of our faith traditions-including my own-Catholic- elevate their own and say others hold less truth. Most faith traditions do that. So-trying to understand a different faith tradition-and most importantly how the different members of that faith tradition live their faith in this world is important. It is not as important for me-a seeker of truth- what a prophet may say or a infallible church council may pronounce. What is important is how I see people of a faith tradition live out their faith in a hurting world. Action speaks louder than words. Action is sometimes the best sermon. Action is sometimes the best missionary or promoter/evangelizer of a faith.” Sorry to say, but this is just hopeful thinking, just look at the Catholic church or even all of Christianity, there is wide-spread misunderstanding of what Catholics, or even what all of Christianity believes. The best way to stop misunderstanding is to correct them as soon as you know about them. To do this go to what is basic of what all Christians believe, then explain what is different and why. Forums like this are a great place to do this. You can also ask questions that you may have about religion and get to see what other people think of that subject.

Although I can’t say for certain, I feel that everyone on earth was foreordained to be ‘missionaries’. In the church there’s the phrase, ‘Every member a missionary’, so I think it’s true for everyone else. If not, then how is it that people can join the church and become missionaries if the church says that you were foreordained to do all righteous things like missions, marriage, or any other calling?

I would think that a online personal commentary would be a great thing, only if it doesn’t become a place of ‘Bible bashing’, that is where people say a verse says this, and you say it says that, I wouldn’t like a wiki site if it just erases what you said if another person doesn’t like it, the creators of Wikipedia tried to make a wiki of the Bible, and it got shut down for that reason.

I know that I thought that I would change somehow during my mission. I kept hearing all the great mission experiences people had, like finding that one ‘Golden investigator’, or being able to teach with the spirit without realizing it. I can’t say I’ve ever had any of these experiences, not that I know of at least. I can still remember the first discussion on my mission that I was there as my companion was teaching the discussion on the Plan of Salvation. I was being taught right along with the investigator. I was a victim of compliancy, since people thought that everyone knew everything the lessons at church became, “you were taught this in primary, so I don’t need to tell you this in detail anymore.” I don’t know about anyone else, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been to primary, and try as I may, I can’t remember anything except some of the Children’s Hymns.